Tired

I'm Tired

Two weeks ago, as I was starting my sixth month of duty in Iraq,

I was forced to return to the USA for surgery for an injury

I sustained prior to my deployment.

With luck, I'll return to Iraq to finish my tour.

I left Baghdad,

and a war that has every indication that we are winning,

to return to a demoralized country

much like the one I returned to in 1971

after my tour in Vietnam.

Maybe it's because I'll turn 60 years old

in just four months, but I'm tired:

I'm tired of spineless politicians,

both Democrat and Republican,

who lack the courage, fortitude and character

to see these difficult tasks through.

I'm tired of the hypocrisy of politicians

who want to rewrite history when the going gets tough.

I'm tired of the disingenuous clamor from those

that claim they

'Support the Troops'

by wanting them to

'Cut and Run'

before victory is achieved.

I'm tired of a mainstream media

that can only focus on car bombs and casualty reports

because they are too afraid to leave the safety of their hotels

to report on the courage and success

our brave men and women are having on the battlefield.

I'm tired that so many Americans think you can rebuild

a dictatorship into a democracy overnight.

I'm tired that so many ignore the bravery of the Iraqi people

to go to the voting booth and freely elect a Constitution

and soon a permanent Parliament.

I'm tired of the so called

'Elite Left'

that prolongs this war

by giving aid and comfort to our enemy,

just as they did during the Vietnam War.

I'm tired of antiwar protesters

showing up at the funerals of our fallen soldiers,

a family whose loved ones gave their life

in a just and noble cause,

only to be cruelly tormented on the funeral day

by cowardly protesters is beyond shameful.

I'm tired that my generation, the Baby Boom --

Vietnam generation, who have such a weak backbone

that they can't stomach seeing the difficult tasks through to victory.

I'm tired that some are more concerned about

the treatment of captives

than they are

the slaughter and beheading of our citizens and allies.

I'm tired that when we find mass graves

it is seldom reported by the press,

but mistreat a prisoner and it is front-page news.

Mostly,

I'm tired that the people of this great nation

didn't learn from history

that there is no substitute for victory.

Please send to all your e-mail friends.

This needs to get all over the U S A

LIEUTENANT COLONEL REPYA